Cessna 195A accident near San Carlos, California, May 16, 2013
On May 16, 2013, a Cessna 195A, registered N4026A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near San Carlos, California (San Carlos airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2013
- Place
- San Carlos, California · San Carlos · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195A · all 195As on the register
- Registration
- N4026A · no longer on the register · serial 7830
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing in the tailwheel equipped airplane, he executed a wheel landing, and continued to maintain directional control with the runway centerline. With the power at idle, the tail began losing lift and upon lowering the tail, the airplane began turning to the right. He applied left rudder, but found it ineffective so he also applied left brake to correct for the right turn. He was unable to bring the airplane back to the runway centerline, and felt that an aborted landing was no longer an option due to the direction the airplane was heading and the remaining runway length. He continued to apply left brake to the point where the tail began to lift, and tried to keep the airplane lined up to exit the runway at taxiway D. As the airplane entered the taxiway, the left main landing gear leg failed under side load. This resulted in the airplane’s left wing and fuselage contacting the runway surface as it came to rest with the airplane pointing about 45 degrees to the runway heading. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left side of the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 394 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 3, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 28, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755-A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA
- Destination: SQL San Carlos CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4026A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.